Various formats and systems have been proposed for providing automatic gate valve assemblies in connection with sewer lines connecting various types of static structures such as residences, or other buildings, and a main municipal sewer line. The purpose of such systems is to prevent the back-up of sewer water or other undesirable types of fluids into the static structures during extreme conditions of the type which cause sewer water or rain water to back-up into the building structures.
Typically, most residences or other structures are provided with sump pumps which are electrically operated for the purpose of taking the sewer water as it backs up into a sewer chamber and pumping the same back into the municipal sewer system. It is well known that such systems are merely intended to operate when temporary back-up situations occur, since the process of simply pumping backed up sewer water back into the municipal system can only operate effectively if the main municipal sewer system can accommodate the reintroduction of the backed up sewer water into the system. It is well known that under extreme conditions, especially those wherein the main sewer system is totally overwhelmed, sump pump systems do not operate effectively. In some installations, sump pump systems have been provided wherein the sump pump operates to take the excess sewer water which is backing up into the sewer holding tank, and pumping the same to a point external of the static structure but not back into the municipal sewer system. In most instances, such installations are not in compliance with local building codes, but in extreme conditions will operate to alleviate some of the excess back-up under extreme conditions.
It is also common knowledge that extreme weather conditions which cause flooding often pertain to those types of weather conditions wherein electrical power is interrupted. In such situations, the solutions which have been proposed to date relate to back-up sump pump systems which are operated either by batteries, or by gasoline or diesel powered generators. It is well known that these types of back-up systems require some type of switching system such that when the electrical power is deactivated, the back-up system, whether it be operated by batteries or by gasoline or diesel power, are activated to turn on in order to accommodate the sewer back-up situation. Unfortunately, back-up systems which are either gasoline or diesel powered usually require the activation of the system by means of manual effort, and therefore, require that manpower be present and employed at the time that the system must be activated. Hence, such systems are not effective back-up systems in such extreme conditions when no one is present to sense the fact that the electrical power has been interrupted. Insofar as battery systems are concerned, such systems are less than effective if the batteries happen to be partially or substantially discharged due to the long periods of time which normally result when such systems lay idle. Furthermore, such systems can be dangerous in terms of extreme back-up conditions since water will be present and in the vicinity of such back-up systems, and if electrically powered, can cause the ever present danger of electrocution.
Applicant herein has heretofore developed an automatic gate valve assembly, which is electrically powered, for the purpose of insuring that in flood conditions, a main gate valve is actuated to operate for the purpose of shutting off the static structure such as a building, from the main municipal sewer line. Such systems generally include water sensing means for sensing the rise of the water level within a chamber, and activating a control mechanism for controlling the activation of the gate valve in order to shut off the water outlet leading to the main sewer line. Such a device is shown in applicant's Pat. No. 4,624,280. Such systems generally have, in common, a system which operates to sense the water level, and in response thereto, activate a controller means for actuating the gate valve to shut the main sewer line from the structure in which the system is located. This, hopefully, prevents sewer water back-up into the building, until the extreme conditions causing the back-up subside afterwhich, the system is designed to reactivate the gate valve to open the same and permit the free flow of sewer water to exit from the static structure.
It has now been determined to be advisable to develop a system which eliminates the need for electrical power for powering the gate valve system. Furthermore, it has been deemed desirable to provide such a system which is simplified in construction, minimizes the number of moving parts, and operates strictly on the presence of fluid pressure rather than electrical power. Hence, the present invention is intended to provide an automatic gate valve system which operates in response to a rise in the sewer water level contained in a sewer holding tank, but the entire system is operated strictly by fluid pressure emanating from a source of fluid under pressure. The present invention is designed to operate by the use of the water pressure line which is interconnected to virtually every static structure which exists. That is, homes, residential buildings, commercial buildings, and other structures are always connected with a main water line through which the structure receives potable water for the structure. It is well known that the water pressure in such water lines generally runs between 30 and 50 pounds per square inch, and is present in the system at all times. The present invention, therefore, contemplates the interconnection of the present gate valve assembly to the water pressure line of the structure and utilizes that water pressure to operate the system.